The Kuril or Kurile Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands numbering 56 islands and many minor rocks; that stretch approximately 700 miles [1,300 kilometers] from the Kamchatka Peninsula of Western Russia to Hokkaido in Northern Japan; separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean.

Occupied by ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Tatars, Koreans, Nivkhs, Oroch, and Ainu, there are roughly 30,000 peoples inhabiting the Kuril Islands today; about half live below the poverty level. Fishing is the primary occupation but the islands also have some strategic mineral deposits of pyrite, sulfur, and various polymetallic ores.

From north to south, the main islands are (alternative names given in parentheses are mainly Japanese):

* Shumshu (Shimushu)
* Atlasov Island (Oyakoba, Alaid or Araito)
* Paramushir (Paramushiro or Poromushiri)
* Antsiferov Island (Shirinki)
* Makanrushi (Makanrushiri)
* Onekotan (Onnekotan)
* Kharimkotan (Kharimukotan, Harumokotan)
* Ekarma (Ekaruma)
* Chirinkotan
* Shiashkotan (Shashukotan)
* Raikoke (Raykoke)
* Matua (Matsuwa)
* Rasshua (Rasuwa)
* Ushishir (Ushishiri or Ushichi)
* Ketoy (Ketoe or Ketoi)
* Simushir (Shimushiro or Shinshiru)
* Broutona (Buroton or Makanruru)
* Chirpoy (Chirinhoi)
* Brat Chirpoyev (Burato-Chiripoi)
* Urup (Uruppu)
* Iturup (Etorofu)
* Kunashir (Kunashiri)

* And the Lesser Kurils:
o Shikotan
o Habomai Rocks, including Seleni (Shibotsu), Taraku, Yuri, Akiyuri, Suisho, Zelioni (Kaigara), Oodoke and Moeshiri

from Wikipedia see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuril_Islands